Belfast News Letter editions from 18th-20th centuries to be digitised as UK Government project promotes Northern Ireland's cultural heritage.
Historic editions of the world's oldest English language daily newspaper still in circulation are to be digitised by the UK Government, delivering on commitments made in the Safeguarding the Union command paper.
The News Letter, first published in September 1737, will this year mark its 288th anniversary as the oldest continuously published English language daily paper. To strengthen understanding of Northern Ireland's cultural traditions around the world, the Northern Ireland Office is working in partnership with the British Library and FindMyPast to expand the online collection of the historic publication in the British Newspaper Archive. Building on previous preservation and scanning initiatives, the digitisation of these copies from three centuries of the historic Belfast title means that all known surviving copies of the News Letter will become accessible online for the first time.
Announcing the start of the project, Secretary of State Hilary Benn visited Belfast's Linen Hall Library to view historic copies of the News Letter. While historic copies of the publication are available in physical and microfilm format in libraries across Northern Ireland, this project will ensure a worldwide audience will be able to observe the newspaper's unique insight into the political situation in Ireland from the late 18th century to the early 19th and 20th centuries.
Key historical events, such as the Irish Parliament winning legislative independence from Britain in 1782, the formation of the Orange Order in 1795, the 1798 rebellion of the United Irishmen, and the 1801 implementation of the Act of Union are covered by the newly digitised pages.
Originals of the News Letter are being provided in microfilm and newspaper format by the British Library, to be digitised by the online platform Findmypast, which has spent nearly 15 years working on a collaborative project to digitise the British Library's vast newspaper collection.
The archive is then made available online through the British Newspaper Archive and on Findmypast , where it can be viewed freely at the British Library sites in London and Yorkshire, as well as at any library or by any private individual around the world with a subscription.
Speaking after his visit to The Linen Hall Library, Secretary of State Hilary Benn said:
"The News Letter's status as the longest-running continuously published English language daily newspaper in the world is an important part of Northern Ireland's unique cultural heritage.
"As set out in the Safeguarding the Union command paper, the UK Government is committed to digitising these historical archives to promote the richness of Northern Ireland's traditions around the world, including in nations with historic ties, such as the United States.
"This will also ensure that these precious historical records are preserved and accessible for generations to come."
Sarah Bush, Managing Director of Findmypast and the British Newspaper Archive, said:
"As the trusted partner of many iconic British and Irish institutions, we work to digitise millions of records from our nation's history and make them accessible to the public online.
"Alongside the British Library, we're delighted to make this unique and culturally important title available to be searched and viewed on Findmypast and the British Newspaper Archive, offering a fascinating window into centuries of Northern Ireland's history as it happened.
Beth Gaskell, Lead Curator of News and Moving Image at the British Library, said:
"The British Library cares for one of the world's greatest news archives with over 60 million issues of British and overseas newspapers dating back to the 1600s, as well as ever expanding collections of radio, television, and web news.
"We are thrilled to be collaborating with Findmypast and the UK government to build on the existing collection of the News Letter available through the British Newspaper Archive to make all known surviving copies of the historic Belfast title accessible for the first time."
New Letter's David Montgomery, Executive Chairman of the News Letter's owners, National World plc, said:
"For four centuries The News Letter has been in the frontline of local and global
news and opinion - it was already in its fortieth year when it covered the U.S.
Declaration of Independence. In the 1990s it and other Northern Ireland papers helped pave the pathway to peace.
"Today The News Letter is often a solitary and essential promoter of its community's rich heritage. The digital archive is an eternal reminder of that crucial, continuing role of reliable independent journalism."
The UK Government continues to make progress on the delivery of the commitments made in the Safeguarding the Union command paper, which formed the basis upon which the Northern Ireland Executive was restored last year.
The digitisation project will see Findmypast digitise pages of the Belfast News Letter using specialist microfilm scanners, which scan thousands of newspaper pages every day, in its state-of-the-art studio at the British Library's facility in Boston Spa. This ensures the faithful reproduction of the newspaper as it once appeared, and enables online searching of the newspaper by name, keyword, date, or specific location.
The digitisation process will be completed this Spring. Once online, individuals will be able to access the editions free of charge by visiting libraries with a subscription to Findmypast, includingthe British Library's sites in St Pancras, London and Boston Spa, Yorkshire. They will also be accessible to people around the world with a subscription to the Findmypast or British Newspaper Archive websites.
